Jan 27th, back down to base camp

Although Shum wanted to go up a bit higher this morning, to cross the 6000m mark, he was even worse off than yesterday, and as soon as we were all packed, we headed down to base camp, the only way to make us all better. This should have taken about 2 to 3 hours. It took me more than four, and took Shum over 5 hours. We were quite obviously not yet recovered.

Jaime on one of the breaks he took more for our sake than his.

Jaime stayed with Jackman and me. They insisted on accompanying me despite the fact that I was slowing them down. I tried not to think of the fact that, despite how I told them to please not wait up, I am secretly glad they did. What a big baby! Lito stayed with Shum.

Jaime with his huge load, and the steep paths that blackened my toes.

All the way down, we saw people struggling up. I wished them all luck! We were in a good weather spell now, the wind had died, the clouds had cleared. A few days of perfect summit attempts.


The summit, wind-free for today's hopefuls.



Base camp, tentalizingly in view hours before we actually reached it.


What is a homecoming, when one has known no geographical stability?

It's the people. Not the place. Where people care for you is a home coming.

It's Adrianna, the lady who runs the Aconcagua Trek bit of the base camp, yelling Carmen!!!! And coming to give me a big hug, bringing me to the mess tent and feeding me warm soup as I sat, unable to do anything more than grin. It's Chapu, the cook, and his smile that is equal parts caring and mocking, having a look at my bewildered face and seeming glad to have me back.

With Chapu, Adriana and Lito.

It's Rodrigo, one of the porters, with his hair hanging like algae from a sea rock all around his head, nodding and nodding and saying nothing. It's Miguel, the artist at the highest art gallery in the world, saying "bonjour, lady!" with crinkly eyes. It's Jaime with his unassuming, comforting presence. It's Nenu, the super thin and super strong porter, who gives me caring female companionship and endless smiles.

With Nenu and Jaime


It's the things, too. The toilet where I can actually leave my excrements, to be airlifted out by helicopter, instead of having to collect them and hand them in to the guide with the feeling of handing in a bad piece of homework. It's the shelters that are actually big enough to stand in, instead of having to duck in and out of them. It's the warmth. After the frigid temperatures of the high camp, a few degrees below freezing seem balmy.

I eat, have a quick shower. Forget to rinse my hair, boy, a week without a shower and I already forget how it's done!! Tomorrow, the dust will stick to it and make it dirtier in a half day than a week of high camping has managed to do. I go stand in front of the camera that Miguel the artist has, hoping that Julien catches a picture or two. I write a quick blog entry so that everyone knows that I am fine. I wait for Lito and Shum to arrive.

That night, all 8 bunk beds are occupied: Jackman, Shum and I, the guide Quique, 3 unknown guys who walk in a bit later, and Gerald, a German who summitted today, and as if that were not enough, summitted from high camp 2, not 3, and then walked all the way back down to base camp! "Un animal!" says everyone admiringly. Just lazy, he answers easily. Didn't want to have to worry about setting up and striking so many high camps. His feet are covered in blisters. His face covered in smiles. He has kinds words and encouragement for everyone, whether they summited or not.

I sleep so deeply that it feels as though the night never came, it just flew quickly by, and the next morning merges into this evening.